A Quality Time Thief : Homework

Back when I'm still in elementary, I've remembered crying late at night for I have not yet finished my assignments. I'm just half way through the things our teacher ask us to do and all were to be passed in the next day. I even experienced being left at home while my whole family goes to mall or in church. Imagine at third-grade you're teacher will give you a book report then there will also be a reading assignment plus a two to three pages to answer as well. Do they think a little child can figure out how to make this kind of project? 

Aside from the pressure of having lots to do, being not able to spend time with your family is a brutal punishment for a student specially children. Instead of just playing games with their friends, bonding with their parents or to have a break from a long tiring day at school, you will have to do more of the studying because of this so called school work extensions, homework. 

Nancy Kalish, author of the article The Less-Homework Revolution, once supported the thought of having homework. Until her own second-grader got to react negatively about this. She had narrated some of their experience in this article. "But a few years later, Allison started coming home with four hours of homework each night, and everything changed. Now there was not only whining but also begging, yelling, and crying -- sometimes from both of us. The worst part: hearing my previously enthusiastic learner repeatedly swear how much she hated school." she cited.

Then, she started to research on this matter. She found out that there other parents who have the same problem as hers. In the article, the other parent who is also the principal in the school of her child, decided to make an experiment. They eliminate most of the homework but maintained the part where the students have to study for upcoming exams. This experiment shows that even without the stressful homework, there was no decline in the test scores and in classroom performance of the pupils. With this positive outcome in the children's academic results without the presence of these so called school work extensions they also have shown to put again their interest in reading and lessening the pressure and stress in both the parents and the students.

But since this kind of approach in education can't be implemented yet because it is still an issue to be carefully tackled, the thing we could do for now is to reduce the trouble of the students. But how? Simple! By being involved of the parents in their child’s homework. If the parents will help their children in this task they can do it much efficiently and they'll be able to bond at the same time.

An article in a site called TeacherVision proposed the following suggestions on how involved should parents be:

·   Keep parents regularly informed about the amount of homework assigned to their children.

·   Parents should facilitate the completion of homework assignments. They should not do assignments for students; rather, they should provide the atmosphere and support system that will increase the likelihood of student completion (e.g., a quiet place to study, encouragement, and praise).

·   Parents should have active and regular conversations with their children about homework assignments, concerns, and issues. A solid interest in homework helps support the completion of that homework.

·   Be sure parents understand the purposes of homework, the amount of homework assigned, consequences for non-completion of homework, and a list of the types of suggested or acceptable parent involvement.

I believe that these hardships were a normal part in life. These difficulties will either break us or make us. We can't do anything about it but to overcome all this. But how about the young ones, can they do this on their own? Of course not and this is when the parents' role take part. It is their obligation to help their children and be able to surpass all this challenges. To think about it, wouldn't it be a good thing to be part of your children's life as most of the families are having a hard time to do with means of as little thing as a homework. It could even reverse the said prior effect and make homework as a "Quality Time Maker".

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